Does the current trend of buying property abroad show any sign of abating

A. Quite the opposite, it is more popular than ever. For instance, there are now over half a million British property owners in France alone.

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With property prices so high in this country, for the cost of a small holiday cottage in, say, the South West of England, you can get a four-bedroom farmhouse with land attached in the South West of France or a sea-side villa on the Costa del Sol or the Algarve.

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The continued strength of the pound against a basket of European currencies means sun-seekers can get more for their money, and with low cost flights to the continent available from airports across the country it is often as quick and cheap to fly off for the week as battle your way through the British holiday traffic. And then there's the weather.

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A.� Be sure what you want the property for. It is estimated 47 per cent want a holiday home, 28% are looking for a retirement property, 22% seek an investment, while just 3% intend to emigrate.

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Then work out how much you can afford to spend. Bear in mind that, very roughly, the cost of things like local conveyancing, arranging a mortgage, local taxes and the cost of travel to and from the property could add as much as 20 per cent to the actual price of the property, and that is before any renovation work necessary.

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A.� What usually happens is people settle on a country, region or even town after holidaying there. But it is important to remember that the same place may be very different outside the summer months so it is worth visiting at as many different times of the year as you can to make sure it is still your dream location.

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If you are buying in an area popular with ex-pats see if you can find someone with experience of buying in the area who can advise you on the locality and possibly recommend agents, lawyers etc.

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A.� It is vital to understand the law of your chosen country as regard buying, renting out, selling or passing on property before you buy. For instance, in some countries such as Spain, local laws on property inheritance can override English wills.

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You need to consult with a lawyer before signing on the dotted line and in some cases may find it necessary to make out a separate will in your country of choice. In the US you will be liable to local capital gains tax on selling a property.

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A.� If you don't plan to live in the property all year round it or rent it out, think about how you are going to make it secure while it is empty. If the property requires work, who is going to do it and how are you going to make sure they are doing what you require from hundreds or thousands of miles away

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A.� Most people still buy privately after settling on the area they want to buy from, but they still to find a lawyer with experience of the property buying process in that country.

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Alternatively there are a host of companies who offer to handle the whole transaction for you, for a fee. An Internet search revealed around 700 hundred. Major mortgage lenders have also entered the market. Abbey National (0800 449090), Barclays (0800 9170157) and Norwich & Peterborough (01733 372006) offer free guides to buying abroad.

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